The sexcam industry in Colombia has been accused of exploiting schoolgirls, with some studios employing underage models and sidestepping age verification checks.
Isabella, a 17-year-old model, was recruited by a studio in Bogotá that promised her easy money. She started working without a written contract, performing sexual acts in front of a camera for viewers around the world.
“They had me streaming without teaching me anything,” Isabella said. “They said, ‘Here’s the camera, let’s go.'” She was asked to perform specific sexual acts, including during school hours, to fulfill viewer requests. Isabella’s situation is not isolated, as many young girls in Colombia are lured into the sexcam industry with promises of financial gain.
Models told the BBC that studios often target vulnerable individuals, including those living in poverty or without access to stable internet connections at home. The global sexcam industry is booming, with nearly 1.3 billion monthly views on webcam platforms globally in April 2025.
Colombia has an estimated 400,000 models and 12,000 sexcam studios, according to Fenalweb, an organization representing the country’s adult webcam sector.
Keiny, a 20-year-old model, started working in the industry at 17 and earns around $2,000 per month, far more than the minimum wage in Colombia. However, she acknowledges that some clients prefer younger models, saying, “Viewers really like it when you look young.” Sofi, another model, was pressured into performing degrading acts by a studio, highlighting the exploitation and abuse many models face.
The four biggest webcam platforms, BongaCams, Chaturbate, LiveJasmin, and StripChat, have age verification checks in place to ensure performers are 18 or older.
However, models claim these checks can be easily sidestepped using fake IDs or recycled accounts. BongaCams, StripChat, and Chaturbate claim to have measures in place to prevent underage models and ensure a safe working environment.
Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, has described studio owners as “slave masters” who trick women and girls into believing they can earn good money.
The industry is awaiting tighter regulations, with models and studios expecting changes to labor laws. Models say they often work long hours for low pay, with some earning as little as $5 for an eight-hour session.
The Human Rights Watch report found that some models work in cramped, dirty conditions and are coerced into performing painful and degrading acts.
Isabella’s experience left her traumatized, and she now seeks to have video recordings of her removed from online platforms. She and six other former employees of the studio have filed an official complaint, accusing the studio of exploitation, labor exploitation, and economic abuse.